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“It is an English expression, what do you expect,” he says wryly. “Mmir tvoy, Anastasia. The world is yours.”
“I wish you taught me Russian. Sergei has been trying to, but it’s too late.”
“It’s never too late.”
I shrug, unconvinced.
“How about this: when you are a college student, we can plan for the summer. Find an arrangement that will immerse you in the language, the people, the culture. You have never spent an entire summer in Russia because you were, well… never mind.”
“Because Mother never let me.”
“That too, though she is not the only one to blame. It was my fault as well. I was unable to take care of you in Moscow as a child. But now, as an adult, you will have options.”
“To work with you? I don’t intend to be a tourist, Father.”
“Yes, to work in Petrov Shipping.”
“I would love that.” I mean it, not just because I’ve missed out on getting to know my father and half my heritage, but also because something inside me is stronger than even my guilt or insecurity: a sense that I have a destiny. If I ever want to amount to something in this world, I need to figure out what that destiny is.
All my life, Petrov Shipping was the elephant in the room. A room I was never expected to enter, not as a girl. Benefiting from the advantages of wealth has never been attached to demands to take over Father’s position, like it was for Sergei.
My brother, however, has made clear that he’s forging his own way, completely uninterested in the company.
I’ve always been fascinated by my family’s legacy, started by my great-grandfather. I’d like to be part of something that large and important.
A voice whispers in my head. Bryce’s. This is the kind of thing you’re going to solve in the real world, Ana.
How can Petrov Shipping provide solutions for problems in the world? The thought of my father leading a global company makes my head spin. I want to understand the business aspects as well as learn the machinations of this multigenerational conglomerate. What would it be like to determine its direction, shape its future?
“Would you want to work in sales and marketing, or intern with engineers?” Father interrupts my silent musings.
“Whatever you decide. I’m curious about all of it.”
His mouth twitches in amusement. “I will keep that in mind. There are many departments you can work with. Cyber security maybe. Or R&D, where your robotics experience will be beneficial.” He sounds cautiously excited.
Sitting beside him and talking like two adults making plans for the future, I see something on the horizon: a unique relationship with my father. A person he trusts as opposed to a mere dependent; an important part of Petrov Shipping instead of the daughter who benefits from something she doesn’t understand.
My place in the world shimmers in the distance. It strikes me that belonging isn’t necessarily where you are, but where you want to be.
“I should take it, right? I need to tell them by Tuesday.”
The Kopfke Research Institute, a think tank contracted by the Department of Defense, made me a generous offer to be part of a surveillance intelligence project. Grandpa hasn’t spoken since I imparted my news. It’s rarely this hard to read his reactions.
“How is their DoD grant different from the grants at your university?” He scratches the side of his head and frowns.
“For one thing, this comes with a real salary. And they’re covering lab and materials beyond what any university can offer.”
“This extends your work on surveillance tracking, right? Explain to me again how your research contributes to the project, while you’re still allowed to talk about it.”
I lean my elbows on my knees, eager to convince Grandpa that this career shift is a fantastic opportunity.
“Surveillance analytics hasn’t completely merged with AI technology. So, tracking people—how many, their behavior or direction, their placements—still relies on basic algorithms that need to be changed or analyzed by humans. Artificial intelligence can do that faster and more accurately.”
“We’ve talked about this before, Bryce. I’m not so sure that tracking people in airports and cities and busy places needs to be developed further.” His lips are pursed, like he’s eating something sour.
I didn’t expect Grandpa to jump up and down celebrating this job offer. He’d rather I go into civil engineering or finish my graduate degree. But building roads and securing bridges does not generate the payday of AI research. As much as I respect Declan MacElroy, I’ve got my eye on the future.
“This isn’t only about tracking for the sake of tracking. It can solve other problems too. If done right, every school can afford a system whereby unusual behavior based on thousands of hours of data is quickly processed by AI. The doors to a school could be locked before a shooter crosses the parking lot.”
